1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to crop harvesters and, more specifically, to tank structure for a cotton harvester or similar agricultural harvesting machine.
2) Related Art
Agricultural harvesters such as cotton pickers typically include a lubrication tank for supplying grease to bearing areas in the harvesting structure, as well as a water tank and a rear fuel tank. In harvesters such as the John Deere model 9965 Cotton Picker, the lubrication and water tanks are positioned next to the cab near the front of the machine. Such a tank location raises and shifts the center of gravity of the machine forwardly, limits access to the cab area, makes the tanks difficult to access :and is undesirable aesthetically. The locations of the tanks fail to optimize use of available space on the harvester. Installing the tanks during manufacture of the harvester is relatively time consuming. Further, the tanks have presented problems with respect to the painting of the harvester. Each tank has to be wrapped in a plastic bag for protection from overspray. Such wrapping is expensive and difficult, and after the harvester is painted the bag must be removed by hand. Small, loose tags of plastic are left after bag removal. Also, because of the attaching requirements of the tanks, any parts that are adjacent the tank must be pre-painted to assure adequate coverage.
Copending application of Kenneth C. McConnell, Ser. No. 08/200,789 filed Feb. 2, 1994 ("Tank Structure for a Harvester"), and of common ownership as the present application, discloses a tank arrangement wherein a plurality of tanks are mounted at the rear of a cotton harvester. The cotton harvester of the aforementioned application is of the type described in another copending and commonly assigned patent application Ser. No. 08/101,206 filed Aug. 3, 1993 ("Cotton Harvester").